The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-26
WORKING FOR THE PRESS.
What Newspaper Women Think of
Newspaper Work.
copyrighted 1881

This is the substance OF the inquiry which
in one form or another. by letter or by wore
of mouth have put to ten or twelve news
paper women.
''Would you, in the light of your expert
once, advise young girl to try the work
What work is there that woman can dc
on the modern newspaper! Do reporters OF
the other sex welcome a woman or do they
feel her presence among them an lntru-
stone
Jennie June, the editor of Godeys Lody'S
Book, who began newspaper work on the
WeehIu Times in New York before any
other woman, unless one counts Margaret
Fuller, had attempted it, has been staunch
advocate of journalism as a business for
women. In reply to my questions Mrs
Croly said:
Il do not think there is any question in
regard to the woman's claim to some sort OF
place in the journalism of to-day. She has
made it for herself and demonstrated her
right to its occupation. What seems to me
the greatest obstacle to good and permanent
work is the want among women journalists
of deliberate purpose and proper equipment
They are still accidents, the drftwood of
fortune rather than the result OF deliberate
aim and conscientious preparation, To make
a distinct and recognized place for herself
in Journalism to-day a woman needs, In ad
innate acquaintance with some subject upon
which she can make herself an authority.
This is sure to lead to success, as IN the case
of Mrs Martha j. Lamb, whose natural
bent for history was cultivated for fifteen
wears by the writing of short historic
sketches and the History of the City of
New York when she naturally gravitated
into the editorship of an historical maya
zine, and in a very short while placed it far
and away i'll advance of its kind by the
breadth and force of experience and char
acter of her work.
sit seems to me that the work of women
in journalism will always be more special
than general in its nature. The discussion
of art, literary, social, domestic and educa-
tional topics, correspondence and editorship
of periodicals which represent these themes
and interests. | do not think general re-
porting on daily paper in great city pos
sible or desirable for women, while the field
of dramatic criticism is difficult because of
the late hours and the embarrassment of
traversing the streets after midnight with
out an escort. Yet women are excellent
critics and publishers find them the keenest,
quickest and most cons = -, lous of readers
and book reviewers. Few - fishing houses
now but employ more less women in this
capacity.
to women they are chimerical A woman
who attends to her business is respected just
as man is; there is no sex in hard, honest
work"
The newspaper correspondence and much
of the special work of which Mrs. Croly
speaks can be done partially at least from
the writer's own study desk and do not al
ways or necessarily involve the routine of
daily office hours or bring up the perplexing
questions of relations with journalists of the
other sex. On these points consulted Mrs.
Florence Finch Kelly, who first as reporter
for the Boston Globe and later as editorial
writer for the same paper made herself
reputation as one of the brightest Of the
younger newspaper workers in Boston, and
who since her marriage and residence in
New York has found time for constant
newspaper work as well. Mrs. Kelly says:
''Should a woman who wishes to do news
paper work try to get position in an Office
or attempt to do simply contributing from
the outsides The newspaper editor will in
variably tell her that she doesn't need to
undergo the discomforts of office work, that
she can just as well do her writing outside
But he tells her that because it is the easiest
way to get himself out of an uncomfortable
position. He knows that in all probability
she would be an unwelcome addition to his
staff and he does not wish to say so. He
knows very well that her value to him will
be doubled and her worth as a newspaper
Office as one of its regular workers and takes
training in 'all-round newspaper work.
But there is prejudice, and a strong
one, among newspaper men against women
in newspaper offices. Nor is it strange that
there is, for SO many of the women who
have gone into the work have expected and
demanded that the rules of the drawing
room be enforced in the Office that they have
made the whole sex unwelcome. The news
paper Office is thoroughly democratic and
no person can enter it ana gain favor of any
kind by reason of race, sex, color or previ-
Gus condition of any kind whatsoever No
one man or woman ought to expect an office
full of people to change their habits to suit
the likes and dislikes of that one individual
Ii woman objects to tobacco smoke either
she should not 20 into an office where nine
tenths of the people are smokers, or, if she
does, she should keep her objections. whether
they be moral or physi ,al, to herself. If
she thinks there is anything inherently dis
respectfully in a man with his coat off or his
heels ON a desk she should do her writing at
home. And if she enters an Office the more
closely she attends to business and the less
she thinks about her moral influence the
better she will succeed. Also the more in
fuence she will exert. The less considera-
ton she seems to expect Oh account of her
sex the more she will get. The fewer favors
she asks for the more will be offered She
cannot find anywhere truer courtesy than
will spontaneously flow all about her when
her associates see that she is an unassuming
worker, trying to succeed by attending
strictly to her own labors, that she does not
presume upon her sex, and that she does not
expect extra attention or consideration. In
short, the woman who enters newspaper
Office must be willing TO take things as she
finds them and make no comments or she
will soon become the most unpopular mem
Der of the staff. But by acting with good
sense and true politeness she can make her
path very pleasant one and her days in
the Office such that she will always remem.
Der them with pleasure
General reporting for city daily is worb
the feasibility of which for woman i.
oftener denied than affirmed. Miss Estellc
M. Hatch the Grace Kincaid" of the BoS
ton Globe, was a reporter for that paper fol
a year before she was taken into the edito
rial rooms OF that experience in briel
chat some days since she said:
For a year | was at the call of the paper
as general reporter taking my assign
ments Just the same as the men. ! reported
sermons, lectures, public meetings of al
kinds where women formed a part of tn,
audience, and wrote up general news 0
many sorts during the day. ] look bacl
upon that year as one into which the expe
rience Of three or four was crowded. | On
loyed it greatly and met with great dea
of kindness, my fellow reporters quite TAX
ing me in as one of themseyes.n